Flatbed vs step deck

I was doing a tarp load once that took up 90% of my deck space to include the upper deck.

It was drizzling rain and I was trying to climb down on the front where my dunnage is stacked up. I slipped off the top of the dunnage and came crashing down. Along the way I tried to do everything I could to prevent it.. flailing my arms and clawing and dancing my feet,.. didnt help,.. I ended up landing on top of my service lines on the cat walk before continuing my plunge to the ground below.

Pulled the primary line loose from the glad hand. Got to spend the next hour in the freezing rain cutting my line and putting a compression coupling to fix were I split the line. The stupid fitting wouldnt slide up enough to get the threads started,. I had to coax it with a vise grip and hammer.

There was a hay load that needed to be tarped,.. the farmer lifted me up top with his tractor. Said he had to go make a phone call. 2 hours later I was still up there and he was no where to be found. I grabbed hold of the tarp as best I could to reduce the speed at which I knew I was going to fall as I hung off the end. Hit the ground with a thud and the tarps came spilling over my head. I bunched up the tarps over my catwalk and strapped them down there and left. My ankle still throbs when I think about that one.

Hurst

 

I read stories like that and it makes me hesitant to buy an aluminum trailer. I may go ahead finance a new one just to have the warranty.

Hurst

 

I remember pulling into a receiver in a snowstorm late one night. They forgot to tell me about the locked gate. The way I was turning it was easier to park on the wrong side of the driveway. I got out to make sure they could get past me in the morning. Went to climb back up in an old IH cabover. Just fixing to swing in the door when a foot slipped. Like you said arms flapping like a bird on takeoff down I go. My foot caught the top off the steer tire, slipped and caught the aluminum oil bath hub, broke that off and hit the ground off balance. Pitched face first down in the ditch. Was a soft landing because it was in 3 feet of snow. Crawl back out and look at the oil running out of the hub. Mother F rrrrr where's the duct tape.

 

Don't fight the fall.

 

Accepting the inevitable is not a strong point of mine.

Hurst

 

Bumping an old post, but since I’d like to get as much work out of it I’m wondering is this could be done. I pull pipe 47ft or so in length would it be possible to load it on a 58 ft stepdeck and be legal weight?

10ft top deck and 43 ft deck plus 5 ft beaver tail?

 

Better double Check that 58 ft with the manufacturer

 

Good luck with that.

 

Not to jack this thread but I’m looking to get into step deck so what type of cargo insurance do most require ? 100k 150k 200k ect ???? Please help me thanks

 

100k for general freight.